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UNISON PSOM Motion- 24 April 2018

The Branch welcomes the decision to delay the PSOM consultation briefings.

The Branch expects that:

● The delay will not lead to any reduction in the time available for consultation

● That the revised timeline will be realistic and achievable

● That the information available to Unions and affected staff for this and all future phases will be accurate and complete

The Branch notes concerns which have been raised by members in some affected areas following the circulation of the Background Information document, in particular:

● That various statements have been made which are felt to be at odds with evidence or feedback submitted, causing concern as to the validity of the proposals.

● The potential negative effect on the student experience in September of the current frontline proposals.

● The apparent lack of involvement of staff at all levels in some areas has led to a lack of confidence that the proposals are fit for purpose.

● That the University is rushing to make radical changes to service provision on an overambitious timescale, putting both student experience and staff at risk without the confidence that these changes will be successful.

The Branch expects that:

● The project team ensures its proposals are evidence-based and clearly explained in the consultation document.

● That staff are given adequate time to read documents in order to be able to respond effectively.

● The consultation is meaningful and genuine and that the response to feedback is comprehensive and reflects openness to changes to the proposals.

● The consultation will involve both affected staff and professional services stakeholders

The Branch is seriously concerned about the likelihood of large numbers of job losses, and reiterates our opposition to compulsory redundancies. We expect the University to work to avoid redundancies, in line with the Change Principles.